Courage and Mercy

1986 documentary by Nicola Caracciolo on the persecution of Jews in Italy

DocumentaryWar & Politics

Seasons

1. Episode 1

Air Date: 1986-11-09

Episode that recollects the reaction of Italians to the racial laws enacted by Fascism: survivors of the War and the Shoah tell of the acts of individual solidarity received from the population - in contrast to what the regime wanted - but also of the violence they suffered between 1938 and 1945.

2. Episode 2

Air Date: 1986-11-16

Episode dedicated to the interviews of many survivors of the Nazi death camps and to the stories of Jews rescued by Italians in wartime occupation zones. Historian Daniel Carpi illustrates his research on the behavior of the Italian population toward Jews residing in Italy. Former diplomats Roberto Ducci and Egidio Ortona help illustrate the ambiguous behavior of Benito Mussolini, who allowed the rescue of many Croatian and French Jews, despite officially aligning with the positions of the Nazi regime.

3. Episode 3

Air Date: 1986-11-16

The last episode is a studio debate between Rabbi Elio Toaff, Giulio Andreotti, Renzo De Felice, Tullia Zevi, Clemente Riva, Nicola Caracciolo, and (appearing from New York) Arthur Hertzberg and Furio Colombo. Arrigo Petacco moderates the discussion, which focuses on the promulgation of the racial laws in Italy, the aid given to individual Jews in contravention of those laws, anti-Semitism and European indifference regarding the genocide that was taking place.

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